Brush adjustment for suction cleaners



Feb. 13, 1951 2,541,117

C. H. SPARKLIN BRUSH ADJUSTMENT FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed June 20, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 13, 1951 c. H. SPARKLIN BRUSH ADJUSTMENT FOR SUCTION CLEANERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 20, 1944 m y W Patented Feb. 13, 1951 BRUSH ADJUSTMENT FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Charles 1!. Sparklin, Chicago, m, assilnor to Birtman Electric Company, a corporation of Illinois Application June 20, 1944, Serial No. 541,140

This invention relates to a brush adjustment for a suction cleaner.

The present device provides a means by which the brush may be adjusted without removing it, by which the ends of the brush are synchronously and simultaneously adjusted, and in addition to which, if desired, the position of the bristles may be precisely gauged.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the front portion of the cleaner looking upward; Figure 2 is a sectional elevation thereof taken along the line 2-4 in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a detailed view of one of the brush mounting brackets; Figure 4 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 44 in Fig 1 illustrating the brush in position for attachment of the belt; and Figure 5 is a detailed view taken along the line 5-5 in Figure 2, with the position of the cleaner inverted, illustrating the operation of the gauge.

The invention relates to any conventional type of motor brush cleaner having a casing It, a motor ll a fan l2, a belt-driving spindle 13, a power belt 14, and a suction opening I5 leading to a nozzle chamber 16. A brush 20 is mounted in the motor chamber and may be of any conventional type, but the present invention is primarily applicable to one having a series of bristles 21. The bearings 22 for the brush roller are each mounted in a bracket 23. This bracket is pivotally mounted at 24 in the end wall 25 of the nozzle chamber. It is normally urged into engagement with the cam 25 by any suitable meanssuch as a spring 21. When it is in operating positionv the cam is engaged by the cam follower surface 28 on the upper side of the bracket. The pivot for the bracket is near the bottom of the nozzle chamber and somewhat in advance of the rear wall 29 thereof. As a result, the brush may be shifted into the position shown in Figure 4 in which the upper edge 30 of the bracket engages the wall 29. At this point the bracket has passed the dead center of the spring so that the brush is held in the position shown in Figure 4. In this position the belt may readily be mounted on the spindle l3 and is held thereon by the collar 3|. It will be observed that in this position the brush is considerably closer to the spindle than in its operating position. so that the belt may readily be placed in position. The brush is then retracted to operatin position without much effort on the part of the operator.

The position of the brush may then be adjusted by the cams 26. These cams are mounted at the ends of the hexagonal rock bar 40. This bar is encircled by a yoke ll. one arm of which bears a 26, thereby synchron usly adjusting both ends of g the brush by movement of the brackets 23.

The appropriate position of the brush may be indicated by the gauge 50 which is pivotally mounted in a bracket 52 secured to the rear wall 29 of the nozzle chamber. In its retracted position, as shown in Figure 1, the gauge is immediately outside of the air conduit and does not interfere with operation of the device. When swung into forward position, as shown in Figure 5, the front end 54 of the bracket abuts on the front lip 55 of the nozzle, thereby accurately positioning the registration portion 56 of the gauge. This portion is preferably cut away in a circular segment so postioned that the bottom of the segment indicates precisely the point where the end of the bristles 2| should be, namely, 1*; inch be low the nozzle lips. The adjusting knob is then turned until the brush is at this point, after which the gauge is returned to its inoperative position.

It is preferred to employ the invention in combination with a belt guardtll of any suitable type, for example, as described in the copending application of Charles H. Sparklin, Serial No. 539,331 filed June 8, 1944, now abandoned.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In a suction cleaner having a nozzle with means forming a nozzle chamber, said nozzle chamber having a nozzle opening in the bottom thereof, a brush rotatable about a susbtantially horizontal axis in the nozzle chamber, and drive means for rotating said brush, a bracket at each end of the nozzle chamber pivotally mounted at a point adjacent the bottom of the nozzle chamber and supporting the brush for rotation about said axis spaced from the pivot points of said brackets, a bar rotatably mounted about its longitudinal axis located within the nozzle chamber and above said brackets, said bar being arranged substantially parallel to the said axis of rotation 01 the brush,

3 cam members mounted on the bar and rotatable REFERENCES CITED therewith each of said cam members normally The following references are of record in the bearing against a top portion of one 01' said bracketa, means normally urging said brackets against me of this patent said cam members, and means for rotatingsaid 5 UNITED STATES ENTS bar and cam members to'rotate the brackets and Number m Date adjust the position of the brush relative to said 1,543,972 Adams June 30. 1925 nozzle opening, said means for rotating. including 11624959 oslus Apr. 19, 1927' a, mem r operably conne d t the bar and 942- 2,099,373 smeme N 1 1f937 cessible from outside said nozzle chamber. 1 2,197,641 Holm-Hansen Apr. 16, 1940 72,203,171 Martinet June 4, 1940 CHARLES SPARKLIN- 2,250,279 Sparklin July 22, 1941- 2,288,831 Y Taylor May 19, 1943 

